WHERE THE CHRISTMAS STORY BEGINS

John 1:1-3  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  (2)  The same was in the beginning with God.  (3)  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

 Introduction:      As Christmas arrives; there are several things that we as Christians must keep in mind: 

              First, we must keep in mind that the celebration of the birth of Christ is not something that God's Word instructs us to observe.

              Early Americans refused to observe the day of Christ's birth.

              Second, we must keep in mind that too often the focus of Christmas is directed to the giving and receiving of gifts.  Not that that is bad in it’s self, it is the focus, when Jesus the Christ should be the focus.

              The Christmas story is obviously much too big and far too important to God's story of redemption to reduce it to a dry recitation of historical facts, or to trivialize it into a carnival event. 

              Where is the spiritual content?

What good does all that we do for anyone when the historical facts are divorced from the reality of who that babe born and placed in a manger is?

              So, today, I want to take you back to where the Christmas story begins.  And where does the Christmas story begin?  At the beginning.                            

             

First
 I.           WE SEE THE IDENTITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

"In the beginning was the Word"

Here, John is making reference to the Second Person in the Holy Trinity, God the Son. 

              A.      Why Is The Lord Jesus Christ Designated “the Word?' 

(Revelation 1:8)  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

                                1.           He, Jesus is God’s alphabet, the   beginning and the end

                                           i.            He, is God’s spokesman

                                           ii.           He, Christ Jesus made the un-understandable, understandable

                B.           The Holy Bible Is The Word of God.

                               1.           The Scriptures reveal God's mind,

                                           i.            Express His will,

                                           ii.           Make known

                                                          a.           His perfections, and

                                                          b.           Lay bare His heart. 

              C.           This Is Precisely What The Lord Jesus Has Done For

                             The Father.

                             1.           “Word” is a means of manifestation. (visibility)
                             2.           “Word” is a means of communication. 
                             3.           “Word” is a method of revelation. 

              D.           Christ Revealed God! 

                             1.           He displayed His power,

                             2.           He manifested His wisdom,

                             3.           He exhibited His holiness,

                             4.           He made known His grace,

                             5.           He unveiled His heart. 

              E.           In Christ, And Nowhere Else, Is God Fully And Finally

                             Explained.

Next,

II.           WE SEE WHERE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS LOCATED

"and the Word was with God"

A.           The Word Was In The Presence Of God. 

1.           Jesus lived in fellowship with God. 

(Proverbs 8:22)  The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

2.           Reveals the blessed relation, which obtained from all eternity between the   

              Word and God.

3.          The fellowship, which existed between the Word and God before, ever the            

             world was. 

(Proverbs 8:30)  Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

Third,
III.         WE SEE THE DEITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

"and the Word was God"

A.              Or, and God was the Word. 

1.           The Holy Spirit goes on to say, “and the word was with God,”

i.            Which denoted:

ii.           His separate personality, and 

iii.          Intimated His essential relation to the Godhead. 

2.        And, as though that were not strong enough,

i.            The Holy Spirit expressly adds, “and God was the word.” 

 Fourth,
IV.         WE SEE THE ETERNITY OF THE LORD JESUS  CHRIST

"The same was in the beginning with God."

A.           The “same,” that is, the Word;

1.               “Was,” that is, existed,

2.               Not began to be; “in the beginning,”

3.               That is, before time commenced; “with God,” that is,

i.                As a distinct Personality. 

B.           He was God, the Son, manifest in flesh. 

1.           And so fully and so perfectly did He reveal God, He could say,

(John 14:9)  Jesus saith unto him, … he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

C.            If the believer is to enter into a better,

 1.          Deeper,

2.           Fuller,

3.           Knowledge of God,

4.               He must prayerfully study the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in the Scriptures! 

D.     Let this be made our chief business,

a.             Our great delight,

b.             To reverently scrutinize and

C            Read about our Divine Saviour

       i.            As they are displayed upon  the pages of  the Holy Bible,

       ii.           Then, and only then, shall we

(Colossians 1:10)  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

(2 Corinthians 4:6)  For God, who commanded … to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Finally,

V.           WE SEE THE CREATIVITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

A.           Notice, that the whole of creation is here

ascribed to the Word –

1.               This would not be true if He were

i.                Himself a creature,

a.      Even though the first and the highest creature. 

2.               Just as He was before all things, and therefore, eternal;

3.               So was He the Originator of all things, and therefore, omnipotent."

CONCLUSION: It is His coming from there to here that gives us cause to celebrate Christmas, does it not?  And Christmas is the event of His arrival from somewhere else to here.

              Where was He in the beginning?  Who was He in the beginning?  What was He is the beginning?

              In the beginning, way back at the start, in eternity past, He is the Word.  He is always from the beginning with God.  He is always from the beginning Himself God.  This means that He is eternal.  And He created everything. What will you do with Christmas? 

              There are some things that need thinking about this Christmas season.  There are some issues to ponder.  There is a Savior to embrace. 

              Who He is now He has always, from eternity past, been. 

(Hebrews 13:8)  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

              Consider Him on that basis and it is more likely that you will celebrate Christmas correctly.